Boolean stack

The Boolean stack is a centralized location to edit your booleans. You can use the options to live edit your input objects and preview potential changes in your scene. Input objects are displayed as layers, making it easy to organize and manage your operations. You can use layers to change an input object's boolean operation and display mode or toggle its inclusion in the boolean calculation.

Note: You need to add at least two input objects to use the options in the Boolean stack.

Boolean stack interface

# Element Description
1

Pin Tab

Keeps the selected tab visible in the Attribute Editor, even when you change selection in your scene. See Work with the Boolean stack.

2

Result object

The result object of the boolean operation is named polySurface#. This name is displayed in the Boolean stack and the Outliner.

3

Add Selected Objects

Adds the selected Viewport objects to the Boolean stack.

To use this option, you need to click to pin the Boolean stack or click Copy Tab to open the boolean node in a separate window.

Tip: By default, new input objects are added to the node as Union operations. Select an operation from the Settings > Operation for new inputs drop-down menu to set a default operation. When a default is selected, it is applied to any new input objects that are added to the node. See Add input objects to an existing boolean node.
4

Master layer

The top layer in the stack. The master layer is the first selected object in the boolean operation.
Tip: You can think of each subsequent layer as a sequential boolean operation. For example, the top layer is calculated first, then the layer below it, and then the layer below that.
5

Boolean operation

Change the boolean operation for the selected layer.

The master layer is not associated with any operation and it's boolean operation cannot be changed. You can change the boolean operation for any layer below the master layer.

For more information on each operation, see Boolean operations.

6

Display mode

Select the display mode for the selected layer.

Note: Hiding an object in the Boolean stack also hides it in the Outliner, and vice versa.
Note: By default, new input objects are added in Wireframe mode. Select a display mode from the Settings > Input object display drop-down menu to set the default display mode. When a default is selected, it is applied to any new input objects that are added to the node.
7

Toggle layer inclusion

Toggles layer inclusion. Disabled layers are not included in the boolean calculation.

8

Boolean settings

Use the following options to customize your boolean operations for the selected node:
  • Interactive Update: Turn off to mitigate slow interactive performance. When on, the boolean continuously refreshes whenever the mouse button is pressed and dragged. When off, the boolean only refreshes when the mouse button is released.
    Note: The interactivity of booleans can slow down when the number of polygons or input objects in your scene increase.
  • Operation for new inputs: Sets the default operation for all new input objects added to the selected boolean node.
  • Input object display: Sets the default display mode for all new input objects added to the selected boolean node.
  • Intersection Classifcation: Boolean operations are performed on intersections. When working with open meshes (planes or meshes with holes), Maya can calculate the intersection of the selected meshes in different ways:
    • Auto: Sets Intersection Classification to Edge when the selected meshes contain one open and one closed mesh.
    • Edge: Treats open meshes like closed volumes.
    • Normal: Treats open meshes like open volumes.
Note: These options can also be set in the Boolean Operation options, where they apply universally to all boolean nodes. The settings in the Boolean stack let you select defaults at the node level, overriding any defaults set in the Boolean Operation options.

Related topics

Topics in this section
Parent topic: Booleans